ByMark Sparrow,
Senior Contributor.
Last month, a reader contacted me to point out that a thermal camera I had written about was an example of tech devices entering the U.S. market from China at very low prices. The reader also pointed out that, in their opinion, some of these thermal cameras aren’t scientifically tested or properly vetted.
I thought that criticism was possibly a little harsh, but I can understand how people working in the tech sector can be unsettled by the speed of product development and the keen pricing coming out of China. It’s certainly putting some domestic manufacturers under pressure and could be partly why President Trump has introduced tough tariffs on some Chinese products.
The technology behind thermal imaging is developing at a rapid pace and prices are falling. This new breed of consumer thermal cameras isn’t designed as highly scientific tools for laboratory use and they probably won’t be up to NASA’s standards, but they are proving popular with hobbyists, HVAC engineers, electronics repair shops and even insulation installers.
